Wednesday, October 28

Geez ... this post title sounds pretty New Age. You know, as in, here, hold this piece of crystal and feel a renewal of your essence.... blah blah blah. Oh well,it just popped into my head.

It has been pretty busy around the doodstead of late. The oldest son has had about 4 band events in as many days, one of which I was finally able to attend. They has their second competition this past Saturday at my Alma Mater. Again, they scored a rating of Excellent, and swept all five caption awards (Auxiliary, Percussion, General Performance, General Effect, and Visuals). Monday they had the school district exhibition performance. Last night they had the third and final competition, again scoring an Excellent and sweeping the captions. With their first competition, they already qualified for State, so that is coming up in a couple weeks. This Friday is the last home game, and also senior walk night, though I won't be able to make it. The Wife will walk with the oldest when he is announced.

Work is still going fine, though I feel older each week with the numerous aches/pains I seem to acquire on a daily basis. After a couple days off, I feel better, until I get back into the shop. Ibuprofen is my friend.

Been sticking my nose a little more into my Kindle of late. Less computer, more reading. Of course, it is easy to do when I get home because almost everyone is in bed already. Seems lately my hours have increased due to the extra traffic. Since July, I have added about an hour plus to my drive time due to the increase of traffic. I blame it all on snowbirds. That and one of the newer techs is an ass, and never seems to have his paperwork ready when I get there (my next to last stop) or worse, he isn't home yet. He lives in one of those suite rental by the week/month/whatever places, so it's not like I can leave his stuff on the porch. Very, very irritating. And he whines about how they require certain things to be done, paperwork-wise. Most days I just want to tell him "You're Fired!".

Friday, October 16

I have been employed at the Company now for just a bit over two years. I enjoy working in the parts department. Like any company, especially those dealing with parts, etc, you need to do an inventory, probably once a year, for financial reasons. At least, I would think a company should.

In the past year and a half, we have done about five inventories. This includes each tech's truck (for their truck inventory) and the parts warehouse (where I work out of). At a year and a half ago, when they performed their first one (since I had started), I found out it was also the first one that the company had ever done ... at least in the last 12 years (about when our branch opened up). Yeah ...

Needless to say, there was a large discrepancy in what parts/value should be there, versus what was actually there. So a couple months later, they did it again, after spending time adjusting numbers, tracking missing parts, etc. Again a month later.

Eventually, it came down to we had to implement a new software system as part of the tracking problem was in the older program/software they were using (suppposedly), so February of last year, that was installed. The inventories faded off. I heard our numbers were closer to be actuals, instead of 'what-should-be'.

About a month ago, they did another one. Once again the numbers were with less errors. This weekend, they are doing it again. Needless to say, my boss is doing the truck inventories for the Westside techs (the ones I deliver to) this morning. He scheduled them to meet at one centralized location (for them) and have them come every half hour. Each inventory should take about 20 minutes. He asked me to come help him. How? I don't know. Most of these techs do not carry truck stock, so there is going to next to nothing, or nothing to count. Either way, he said to be there by 6am. Which means getting up at 5:30, for me. Whiuch also means, I awoke at 4:30 and could not go back to sleep. Let's add in that Fridays are my "longer" days, as I am pulling parts for two days (Sat & Mon) versus just the usual next day. I'll be lucky to be home by 9pm.

It's also my lil' brother's birthday today. Stuman turns 41 this year, and has already asked what time I would finish up work tonight. I had told him around 9pm. He is to text me where he may be at around that time, so I can go help celebrate out with him. I'm going to be TIRED.

Think I will need a Monster energy drink today, on my way into the shop.

Tuesday, October 13

As parents, I am sure most look at sending your kids to college like a second mortgage. For many, I understand. I'm thinking about my second. Let me re-align you with our history....

The Daughter. Paid for a year of major university, with dorm, etc, She basically "fails out" they don't ask her back. Enroll her in a secondary, pay all fees, etc, plus her living costs (an apartment, etc. in another city while she attends). After graduating, with what she went to school for, she has to take three (3) state tests to be licensed to work.

She got married. She moved twice (based on the boyfriend, now husband) but still living in the state. And STILL has not taken the tests, to be able to work. I'm not happy.

So my next child, is a Senior this year. Yes, he is male. Yes, we don't have the money available like we did with his sister. Also, he has not applied to any university (that I know of, as of tonight). That could be a good thing. I know he is super smart. I'm pushing for him to join the US Air Force. Can't be a pilot, but Intelligence, Police, or something better. He's smart, shouldn't be on dipshit patrol.

Or I said Navy. He likes to eat. Maybe a cook, or something. I don't know.

I just want him to have a goal. Because he seems to have none as of now.

I'm pushing for Air Force. I got my brother in Army Reserve. Dad served (drafted) Army. PT served AF back in the day. Grandpa was Army in WWII. Got Uncles that did NAVY, and ARMY. Lot of family that served, whether in time of need or not.

Not happy about our country in the political situation we are in, and signing up one more, ain't fixing nothing ..... and it makes me harder to believe in what is right, if we don't have a strong leader, which we don't have now, and the prospects for the future, are not looking good.

Sunday, October 11

Weekends for my family, come and go like ... hotcakes in front of a hungry teenager. Unless they are my teens, who aren't crazy about hotcakes, but I can't complain, neither am I. Anyways, I guess what I was trying to say is, weekends around here, pretty much aren't weekends. It is just two more days that those of us that are parents, have to squeeze in everything that we weren't able to get done during the week, plus attend 4+ hours of marching competition, help another finish his essay paper, and make sure all of them practice their instruments. Let's add-in the time we need to run to friends' weddings/funerals/extended family visits, etc, etc.

Yeah. We live in real life. Not all that shit gets done.

On "regular" weekends, I make sure of one thing ... either Saturday or Sunday, we go out to eat as a family. Now if the Daughter is up (with or without the SIL) she's invited. And sometimes we invite the MIL (as we did Saturday night). So we had dinner last night, today my Redskins were playing at 10am (my time, even if they did lose ... again). So I was at the pub, had some beers.

Oh hell. I ain't pissed now at nobody but the Wife. She had an MRI today, to help figure out some neuropathy issues she has going on .... but failed to remind me today she was going for an MRI. Yes, she gave me a date, many days ago, but my memory is terrible. It wasn't written on a calendar, or anywhere else. I even spoke with her for 15-20 minutes this morning, but did she remind me? No. So ... when I heard she was getting it done, I was a bit freaked that she had not reminded me.

Thursday, October 1

It's October 1st, and here in Phoenix we are expecting around 103 for a temperature. If I remember correctly, weather forecast on the radio said we are about 10 degrees higher than average. Plus, it is to finally cool down into the 90's by Monday, with even a slight chance of rain. That sounds more like the Octobers of the past I remember.

Work was crazy this last week. One of the guys in my department took 4 days off, and of course that meant I was working 12-13 hour days for those four days. At least the weekend fell in the middle of that time, and I had a couple days to somewhat rest. Though, I still feel pretty worn out. Probably be next week before I start feeling back to normal (no aches/pains, not so tired, etc).

Not much else is going on. Any free time I have anymore seems I have my nose stuck in a book. I've been getting a bit behind in my reading ... or just adding to it faster.